The NBA 2K League Returns as an ‘Immersive Entertainment Ecosystem’ With Non-Stop Multiplatform Content

Besides Twitch livestreams, league content efforts span social, YouTube, and much more

After a nearly 18-month hiatus, the NBA 2K League has risen from the ashes with a wholly revamped format that is being described as an “immersive entertainment ecosystem centered on NBA 2K.” The goal of the new format — in which NBA teams are represented by a mix of creators, NBA players, celebrity guests, and even fans — is to engage a wider audience that runs the gamut from casual gamers to hardcore NBA fans and everyone in between.

At the center of the 2KL is Jesser, its Honorary Commissioner.

“[We are] celebrating every level of gameplay: from casual gamers who log on with friends at night, to NBA players who love the game enough to take it on the road, to basketball fans discovering NBA 2K for the first time,” says Alex Addison, EVP, creative and strategy, NBA Take-Two Media, the recently launched venture of NBA and Take-Two Interactive Software. “[We are] creating a dynamic and interactive character universe that audiences can engage with and be a part of themselves.”

NBAT2 has enlisted EFG (ESL FACEIT Group) as its primary broadcast partner, but several teams are working together behind the scenes to create the new generation of NBA 2KL. This includes NBAT2’s creative producers and designers, production and product teams, league operations crew, on-air talent, and social teams.

“Everyone works in sync under the NBAT2 banner to bring the experience to life,” says Addison.

League Structure: Tournaments Covered via Livestream, Social, YouTube, and More

Each NBA 2KL tournament this season will be a multi-week event spanning social content, YouTube programming, and Twitch livestreams and featuring NBA players and creators competing against each other in unexpected settings.

“Because we focus first and foremost on entertainment, our content is designed to meet fans where they are,” says Addison. “Our social- and YouTube-first formats are made to be enjoyed on their own: short, snackable moments that keep audiences engaged all season long.

“Then our livestreams bring it all together with marquee moments of competitive 2K gameplay, featuring league teams and celebrity guests,” she continues. “For those following from the start, the full 2KL season unfolds as a collective narrative across social, YouTube, and livestreams.”

The new NBA 2KL leans into a variety of content types.

Each chapter will follow the six 2KL teams – Boston Celtics, Detroit Pistons, Memphis Grizzlies, Toronto Raptors, Utah Jazz, and Washington Wizards — as they compete in real-time and in-game challenges to win the championship.

At the center of the 2KL is Jesser, its Honorary Commissioner. Having built a community of more than 35 million YouTube subscribers, Jesser is known for his basketball-centric videos, collaborations with athletes, and long-time love for NBA 2K. He and his “Board” will add their own twists along the way.

Next Fan Up: Turning People Into Players, Players Into People

In addition, this season also introduces Next Fan Up, an open-ladder competition that lets any fan join the action, represent their favorite team, and compete for prizes and rewards. Beginning this Sunday, it will allow fans to rise through the ranks in a series of gameplay and social-media challenges for the chance to compete alongside their favorite creators and NBA players.

The new NBA 2KL will include content creators, NBA players, and even fans competing.

“We turn people into players by giving them a chance to be a part of this league and even get the chance to be drafted to play 2K alongside their favorite NBA players,” says Addison. “And we turn players into people by highlighting who they are off the court in fun and irreverent programming that lets their personalities shine. Regardless of the platform or format, we are always striving to bring fans closer to the game they love.”

‘Always-on Entertainment Engine’: 2KL Has No Offseason

Although the 2K League season runs November–April, Addison calls the new 2K League an “always-on entertainment engine” that will produce a mix of competitive programming for each tournament and evergreen formats featuring NBA players and other talent. All non-live tournament programming is developed for each competition and integrated into the weekly Twitch livestreams.

For example, the first MyPLAYER Mayhem livestream (Nov. 8-9) featured NBA team creators competing via custom player builds that they had “leveled up” through a series of physical challenges featured in a YouTube video released earlier that week.

“Our evergreen programming, which runs between tournaments and will take center stage when the season wraps in the spring, incorporates NBA 2K gameplay into engaging, high-concept formats,” says Addison.

These high-concept formats include “Nice D,” in which an NBA player has to call a competitor and give a compliment each time they are scored on, and “The Masked Player,” a livestreamed format in which a mystery celebrity plays people in the park in 2K while they try to guess the hidden identity of the player.

“It’s like a game of Tetris,” says Addison of the 2KL content strategy. “Each piece of the season fits together to build a cohesive story that can still be experienced organically across social platforms. The heart of our new brand and the throughline of all our content — whether it’s social, YouTube, a livestream, or simply engaging on Twitch and Discord — is to connect players and fans in new and unprecedented ways.”

Creating a ‘Tactile Entertainment Universe’: The Future Is Wide Open  

Addison notes that things are just getting started at NBAT2, which will continue to explore other outside-the-box concepts to engage fans and create what she sees as a “tactile entertainment universe.” Beyond the core entertainment programming, NBAT2 has plans for open 2K tournament pop-ups and sees the Next Fan Up open-ladder competition as a way for fans to meaningfully participate and impact the outcome.

“At NBA Take-Two Media,” she says, “we are committed to creating a new kind of media company, where we blend the physical and digital and enlist the audience as our true co-creators. The 2K League is the epitome of our philosophy.”